O Mon Thermal Power Plant. — Photo vov

CAN THO (Biz Hub) — Export processing zones (EPZs) and industrial zones (IZs) in this Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta city have attracted 214 projects worth about US$1.92 billion.

Baodautu.vn quoted the latest figures of the Can Tho EPZs and IZs Authority and revealed that projects worth $853 million or 45 per cent of total capital registered in the city to date have so far been implemented.

Included are 23 foreign-invested projects worth $204 million with a disbursed capital of more than $171 million. The remainder, worth about $1.72 billion, were from domestic investors, and 39.7 per cent of the capital has so far been implemented.

According to the Authority, from 2001 to 2009, the EPZs IZs had witnessed a stronger influx of investment compared with previous periods at $320 million, $689 million and $268 million, respectively. The encouraging results were attributed to intensified efforts to speed up administrative reforms for investors.

However, investment capital in these zones seemed to have slowed down in recent years because of global and domestic economic difficulties. This year, the zones were forecast to attract a total capital of $54.8 million or only 78.3 per cent of the annual target.

Experts said that with its geographical advantage as the centre of the Mekong Delta region and a base of the country's key projects such as Can Tho International Airport, Can Tho Port and O Mon Thermal Power Plant, the city remained an attractive destination for investors.

To attract more investments, local authorities said, the city was accelerating infrastructure construction at its IZs, developing raw material supply areas and improving the quality of human resources.

Vo Thanh Hung, head of the Authority, said Can Tho planned to expand and upgrade a number of IZs in line with a master plan aimed at increasing the locality's total industrial area to 2.267ha and paving the way for the city to become an industrial hub in the Cuu Long Delta region by 2025. — VNS